Wrench



March R. L. CAlI-NCROSS ET AL 1,347,640

WRENCH Filed Nov. 16, 1929 Patented Mar. 1, 1932 1 UNITED STATES ROBERT L. CAIR-NOROSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND

NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO THE NATIONAL LOCK WASHER COMPANY,

PATENT-i caries IRVIN W. MASTERS, OF N EW'ABK, OF NEWARK,

NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW ERSEY WRENCH This invention relates to a novel and improved form of wrench, and more particu larly to improvements upon the wrench described and claimed in the copending application of Robert L. Cairncross and George H. Goodell, Serial No. 253,986, filed February 13, 1928, now issued as Patent No. 1,814,544, dated July 14, 1931.

The invention will be best understood from the following description and the annexed drawings, in which are shown selected embodiments of our invention and in which,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal view of a track wrench having the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a view of the same wrench taken at right angles to the plane of F ig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View on an enlarged scale, taken on the same plane as Fig. 1, and showing the construction of the wrench and handle adjacent the end of the handle which is secured to the wrench. 1

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 3. i

Fig. 5 is a view showing the other end of the handle from the one appearing in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a View taken from the right of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an end view of theadjusting nut appearing in Fig. 5, and Fig. 8 is a ,view showing the key wrench for operating the nut shown in Figs. 5 and 7. i

For the purposes of illustration, We have shown the invention as applied to' a track wrench with which it finds particular utility, although itis to be understood that it may be used with other forms of wrenches used for other purposes. The wrench is shown as having a nut engaging portion 1 and a shank 2 integral therewith or otherwise rigidly secured thereto, this shank terminating in a tapered portion 3 disposed within a tubular handle 4. The handle is shown as being flared in the plane of Fig. 3, at the place where the tapered portion 3 of the shank enters it, and as having secured thereto a casing 5 which forms a continuation of the handle. The tapered portion 3 has a greater taper in the plane shown in Fig. 3 than in the plane shown in Fig. 4, and has rocking engagement with the casing 5 at the points 6.

' shank,

The head 10 is provided with a relatively sharp-edged nose 13, adapted to rest in a transverse notch 14 in block 15. This notch has at opposite sides tapered surfaces 16 extending for a substantial distance on either side of the notch. The block has secured thereto a longitudinally extending rod 17,

the other end of which is shownin Fig. 5, and which is spring-pressed towards the wrench as by a coil spring 18 which is received between the head 19 of the rod 17, and an adjustable nut 20 which is threaded into the tubular handle. The nut 20 may be provided with a recess 21 of any suitable and peculiar form which is adapted to cooperate with a key wrench 22 having a head 23 of similar form, whereby the nut 20 may be turned to adjust the spring 18. The outer end of the ha-ndleis closed by a suitable plug 24..

The device operates in the manner described more fully in the aforesaid copending application, this operation being briefly as follows I When a nut is being tightened upon a bolt, or when thewrench is being used for any other suitable purpose, it is desirable to give an indication to the workman when he has exerted a predetermined force upon the wrench. For this purpose, the tension of the spring 18 may be adjusted so that. when this predetermined force is exerted, the block 15 will be caused to move longitudinally of the handle by means of the force exerted thereagainst by the nose 13 on the inclined sides of the notch 14, and upon one of the surfaces 16, this force being exerted in the plane of Fig. 3. The same force-which causes longitudinal movement of the block 15 with respect to the handle, will cause alateral movement of the member 10, which will strike the wall of the handle with a sufficient blow to be plainly heard by the workman, and will give him an indication that the desired force has been exerted upon the handle and that he should stop the tightening of the nut or bolt. If for any reason an additional force is needed, it can be applied, as the wrench is not rendered inoperative.

lhelateral movement 01. the member 10 is about the pivotal mounting between the brackets 7 and the ends 8 of the arms on the yoke to which the member 10 is secured. The shank of the wrench will move with the member 10, and this movement is about the points 6, it being understood that there is suficient looseness at'this end of the handle to permit the rec ring movement of the shank in the handle, and, as shown in 4t, a clear space is provided at 25 to permit this rocking movement which is in a plane at right angles to that shown in Fig. l. It will thus be noted that the rounded end 1:2 of the shank and the member 10 both move together but about different centers, and by providing the ball and socket connection, we avoid any binding due to this movement about different centers.

Mounted upon pivots 26 within the casing 5 and preferably on opposite sides of the rench, are latches here shown as levers pivoted between their ends, with one end 27 of each latch beireceived within a recess 28 in the shank. The other ends 29 of these levers are preferably within the confines of the casing-so as not to provide protrusions therefrom, but are nevertheless exposed through holes 30 therein, so that the workman operating the wrench may grasp the handle on opposite sides, and by engaging these ends 29 as with his thumb and torefingenhe may easily release the ends 27 from the recesses 28. Preferably, the latches are normally in position to engage in these recesses, this normal enga ement being insured by springs 81, as indicated in Fig. 4;.

' also be noted that the rocking move- T it wi ment 0 the shank in the handle is in a plane at righv angles to that shown in Fig. 4, and that the bottoms or" the recesses 28 areparallel to the plane of rocking, so that the latches do not in any way interfere with this move ment.

V] e claim 1. In combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion and a shank rigidly connected thereto, a handle adapted to operate said wrench, a member carried by said handle and having limited lateral movement with respect thereto, means resiliently holding said member against said lateral movement, said shank having a rounded end disposed within a socket in said member and having a rocking engagement with said handle at a point spaced from said member.

2. In combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion and a shank rigidly connected thereto, a tubular handle within which said shank is received and with which it has rocking engagement, a yoke member within said handle and having a head and arms connected thereto, said arms having their ends pivotally mounted adjacent the wall of said handle, said shank extending into the bandle between said arms and having a rounded end received in a socket in the head of said yoke, and means resiliently holding said yoke against movement on its pivotal mountlngs.

3. In combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion and a shank rigidly connected thereto, a tubular handle within which said shank is received, said shank and bandle having rockin engagement adjacent the end of the handle in which the shank is received, a member mounted within the handle and laterally movable therein, a ball and socket connection between the end of the shank and the member, and means resiliently urging said member toward said shank.

4. In combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion and a shank rigidly connected thereto, a tubular handle within which said shank is received, said shank and handle having rocking engagement adjacent the end of the handle in which the shankis received, a member mounted within the handle and laterally movable therein, said member having a socket therein, said shank having a rounded end received in said socket, and means resiliently holding said member in engagement with said shank.

5. In combination, a wrench having a nut engaging portion and a shank rigidly connected tl ereto, a tubular handle-within which said shank is received, said shank and handle having rocking engagement adjacent the end of the handle in which the shank is received, a member mounted within the handle and laterally movable therein, said member having a socket therein, said shank having a rounded end received in said socket, a pivotal mounting about which said member is adapted to rock and located between the member and said tube end, and means resiliently urging said member toward said shank.

ROBERT L. CAIRNGROSS. IRV IN WV. MASTERS. 

